KHONSA, 11 Jun: The district & sessions court here on Friday disposed of two cases against four active NSCN (K) cadres and sentenced all four to life imprisonment.
On 16 February, 2017, one Tailai Wangpan, of Langkhow village – a member of the NSCN (U) group – and his wife after attending the Oriah festival celebration in Pumao village halted for the night at the residence of a villager.
During the night, operatives of the NSCN (K) barged into the residence with sophisticated weapons and, owing to inter-factional rivalry, shot and killed Tailai Wangpan in front of his wife.
It was alleged that he was killed by self-styled (SS) second lieutenant Nahbi Wangsu, SS private Palai Wangpan and SS private Wangthuak Wangsu at the instruction of the area commander of the NSCN (K), SS lieutenant colonel Bopa Wangnow.
During the trial, the wife of Tailai Wangpan identified Nahbo, Palai and Wangthuak, who had killed her husband.
Again, in June 2017, operatives of the NSCN (K) kidnapped a shopkeeper from Longding market and detained him in Chatting village. They demanded a ransom of Rs 50 lakhs.
The secretary and the president of the Longding Market Committee and the son of the kidnapped shopkeeper negotiated with the abductors. They paid Rs 5 lakhs and assured to pay the rest of the amount later. The victim was then allowed to leave.
However, the insurgent group again abducted the secretary of the Longding Bazaar Committee and the shopkeeper.
Later, the abductors released the two persons, after the payment of a ransom of Rs 15 lakhs.
Every time, after committing a crime, the miscreants flee to their hideouts in the Indo-Myanmar border.
The police were unable to apprehend the accused persons for investigation as they were active operatives of the NSCN (K). The police then declared them ‘proclaimed offenders’. Later, the security forces apprehended the accused one after another and the trial began.
One Ahon, who was also involved in the commission of the offence, was killed by security forces during an encounter. (DIPRO)
